Scott: Eagles Were A Good Fit

Offensive lineman Jake Scott was willing to wait for the right opportunity. He didn’t want to play just anywhere – he wanted to go to a place that felt right. That was comfortable. Scott found that in Philadelphia, and on Monday he became the newest member of the Eagles.

Scott was drafted by the Colts in 2004 and spent four seasons under current Eagles offensive line coach Howard Mudd. The 6-5, 290-pound lineman started 51 consecutive regular season games for Indianapolis, including every game of the Colts’ 2006 Super Bowl season. After leaving Indy, Scott signed with the Titans, where he started every game for four seasons.

Pro Football Focus listed Scott as the fourth-best right guard in 2011, noting that he excelled in pass protection. So why did he wait until Week 11 to find a home?

"Well, I was a little bit picky," Scott said on Tuesday's Eagles Live!. "I wanted to be part of a team that I felt like I fit with. I didn’t want to just go somewhere just to be on a team. I wanted to go somewhere I’d have a chance to play, and go to a system that I felt like I could play well in."

Scott figures to find that with the Eagles. Mudd brought his scheme to Philadelphia last season, and has utilized it with success. But with injuries plaguing the line all season, bringing in Scott makes a ton of sense. Last Sunday, the Eagles were without four of their five starting offensive linemen. Two are on Injured Reserve and one may not play at all this season. In addition to starting experience, Scott also provides versatility, as he can play both guard and tackle. The trick now is to learn the terminology.

"I’ve played quite a bit of football, and I’ve played a lot of different positions and I’ve seen a lot of different things," Scott said. "More than anything it’s going to be familiarizing myself with the guys around me and the new terminology. ... I’ve spent most of the morning trying to get caught up on terminology and on scheme. I’ll spend the rest of the week doing more of that."

It remains to be seen how Scott will contribute this season. But Scott is hoping that, if called upon, he’ll be able to jell with his new teammates quickly.

"You’ve got to be comfortable with the guys playing next to you," Scott said. "It’s something you have to be able to do, and when you lose four out of five guys, that’s hard. It’s going to be hard for any team. It’s just a matter of getting four new guys in there who can all jell together and keeping that consistency, week in and week out and allowing that group to grow."

But more than anything, Scott is looking forward to putting the pads back on. He’s missed that competition, and is looking forward to hitting something again. The Eagles are hoping he’ll be able to help bolster an offensive line corps in need of depth and experience.

"It’s been awhile. It’ll be nice to get out there (Wednesday) and bang around a little bit," he said. "I always miss that, because that’s why you play football. That’s why I play, to get that competitiveness, that head-to-head competition. I think that’s what we all enjoy as football players.

"I’ve played it all, and at this point I’m going to prepare myself to do whatever I’m asked to do."